Human trafficking fighter
stresses public awareness

Dave McCleary addressed a packed crowd at Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

Posted
Wednesday, August 9, 2017 9:39 am

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ROSWELL, Ga. — On July 31, Dave McCleary, past president of the Roswell Rotary Club and Founder of End Human Trafficking Now, and Dorsey Jones, a survivor of child sex trafficking, received a standing ovation from Mt. Zion Baptist Church for their presentation on trafficking awareness. McCleary stressed that bus drivers may be able to help identify a child of sex trafficking.

“You are the eyes,” McCleary said.

Drivers were asked to be aware of who is meeting students at the bus stop and to look for visible signs of physical abuse, people who don’t make eye contact, branding via tattoos, inappropriate dress and older friends, both male and female.

Pocket cards courtesy of Roswell Rotary were distributed to all attending with a contact address should they suspect something.

“Our goal is to build awareness to the fact that human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children is our problem because it happens to our backyards every day,” McCleary said. “Our mission doesn’t end with awareness, we will become advocates for changes to the laws that govern human trafficking and support the victims by helping them escape ‘the life.’”

Human trafficking is a business that generates over $40 billion a year. Over 300,000 children are at risk of being trafficked in the U.S. annually.

Working with Fulton County Schools Executive Director of Transportation Sam Ham, McCleary is developing an educational video on ways to identify trafficking. Fulton County is the fourth largest school district in the state with over 95,000 students.

“[The Monday meeting] was to kick off a pilot program that we hope will expand state wide and across the world,” McCleary said. “Rotary is uniquely positioned to change everything.”